We Are Who We Are
by Aurelie-Atia's Fallen Angel
Summary: In ancient times, before the Greeks and Roman empires were destroyed, demigods were being hunted down. Ten demigods with the power and courage to rewrite destiny itself meet by fate, and loyalties will be tested. A new threat and a prophecy will test them. Ratings may go up. Ancient Heroes Of Olympus fanfiction. CURRENTLY UNDER EDITING.
1. Prologue: And So It Begins

**_Disclaimer: Nope, don't own the brilliance that is Heroes of Olympus, Rick Riordan does._**

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_ ~**Prologue: And So It Begins...**~_

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_Over the years, tales and legends of terrible monsters and heroic warriors have been passed down from parent to child, in hushed tones and wonder filled expressions. They had been written down in different versions, twisting the perspective and tone of the stories, yet the morals and lessons have always been the same. No matter if they were written, or spoken, the tales never lost its wonder, nor have they lost its popularity.  
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_But some tales do. Some written off as none sense, a myth among other myths. Surely great feats like those were heard of in other places?  
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_The thing about tales and legends are its sources. Truths are spun in a web of lies, weaving together in an intricate pattern that makes it unrecognizable. A pattern so richly decorated in lies that the truth seems irrelevant. That the true moral and the true lesson lost it's purpose. That it was completely different from what it really was.  
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_This is the story of one of these tales, the story of the greatest heroes to have ever walked this earth, who saved not only_ mankind,_but the gods themselves. The story of love so fierce, with no in between, no maybe, no heartaches. The story of bravery so honorable, it contradicts every feat once considered the best. The story of kindness, of hope, of freedom. The story of family, no matter how different or difficult. The story of friendship so strong, it has no end, no restrictions, no hesitation. The story of the Heroes of Olympus._

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It all started many moons ago, one mild autumn's night. In the large city of Corinth, Greece, a young mother screamed in agony while going in labor. Her servant, Brenya, murmured words of encouragement, gently yet firmly commanding the woman to push.

The young mother was afraid, but she couldn't register the fear in her pain. Through it all, she whispered prayers to any god that could help her. Hestia, Hera, Poseidon...

"Your going to be fine, m'lady," Brenya whispered, wiping her mistress' forehead with a cool cloth. "The baby's going to be fine too. Everything's going to be fine."

The young mother just moaned, squeezing her bright eyes shut.

Before long, a young boy was born. He wailed loudly, his cries echoing in the empty room. His eyes were shut tight, his cheeks red. Brenya wrapped the baby up in a towel, wiping his tiny body clean of all the blood. She glanced at the mother, who was breathing heavily and crying tears of joy, before offering it to her.

"Your son, m'lady," she said softly.

The young woman carefully took him in her arms, tenderly stroking his cheek. "Shh," she whispered. "No more crying now, baby. Momma's here. Momma loves you."

As if he could understand her, the baby stopped crying, whimpering only slightly. The woman sighed in contempt at her first born child.

Brenya stood up. "Shall I get you anything, m'lady?"

The woman shook her head. "I am alright, Brenya, I'm wonderful."

"Than I shall leave you to get acquainted with the boy." The young mother just started making cooing noises, no longer paying the servant any mind. Brenya slipped out the bedroom, smiling the entire time.

"Now what shall I call you?" The woman wondered out loud, laughing slightly when the baby clutched her finger with both chubby hands, "A fine baby like you should have a fine name. A heoric name. Yes, you will be my little hero, a champion of your father's name."

The young mother frowned. "If only your father could see you now. He would be so proud," She sighed. "I guess it's for the best, but I shall be a fool to say I wasn't disappointed he didn't show. Oh, but he loves you dearly, I know it. Your father loves you my little Greek hero." She kissed his small head.

"Oh how right you are," a foreign voice sighed. The mother jumped.

Perched on her windowsill was a young woman with long glossy black hair and cold yet intelligent black eyes. Her faced shone with ethereal beauty, like the full moon in all its glory. She wore an ornately sewed gray dress hung on one shoulder and ending at the knees, a belt tied around her thin waist. A bow with arrows were resting upon her back, seeming to glow in the moonlight. Her sandaled feet were swinging slightly in a childish way. On top of her head shone a white tiara with a drop of moonlight in it's center. Her eyes sparkled with merriment.

The mother quickly bent down, doing her best to bow with a baby in her arms. "L-Lady Artemis," she stuttered. "What a surprise."

The goddess waved her hand, saying, "Nonesense, sit up. You just had a baby. No need to exert yourself."

The woman straightened, yet still set a protective arm around her child. Her eyes glanced at the goddess warily. It wasn't everyday a goddess showed up to greet you. They never visited unless they wanted something, and the mother had nothing worthwhile to give.

The goddess, sensing her actions and train of thought, laughed. "Although I find it a bit harsh, I wouldn't blame you. Finding a goddess such as myself in your home is not always a good thing."

"If I may ask," the mother said, "what is it that you want?"

"Can't a goddess visit the birth of a child?" Artemis asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You can," the mother stated slowly, "but you are the virgin goddess of hunt and the moon. It would be unlikely that you would visit a child just for the pleasure of it."

Artemis smile warmly. "Of course, you are right. Sometimes I wonder why I have never asked you to be in the hunt. Why, if you weren't older and didn't have this boy, I would've enlisted you!" The young mother blushed. "But sadly, I am not here to talk about past regrets."

The goddess looked at the woman intently. The mother fought a shiver, hugging the baby, who had now begun to fall gently asleep. Artemis rested her gaze onto the young boy.

"My, what a lovely boy," she whispered. "So small and tiny, with his pink skin and button like nose, he is precious, for a _boy_ of course. Who would have known he was going to cause one of the bloodiest wars in history?"

The young mother's eyes widened. "What?!" She exclaimed, sitting up quickly and pressing the baby closer to her. She then winced in pain.

"Don't exert yourself," Artemis chided. "Rest."

"B-but...b-but," the mother tried to say.

The goddess just ignored her. "You know, there are days when being a virgin goddess has its disappointments. While I may be against men, I sometimes wonder if, I don't know, if having a child would be so bad? They say children are your chances of starting over, giving them a life you never had before. Is it so wrong to want to have someone I can call my own?" She then fixated her stare to the mother. "Is it so wrong to want a demigod child such as this one?"

The mother swallowed thickly. "N-no," she managed to get out. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to have a child."

Artemis looked back towards the boy. "My brother, Apollo, was worried about a vision he had. Ten demigods, just like your son, were fighting an evil so great, he couldn't see it properly. He was warned of a prophecy, and the trouble to become of our children. You heard of the riots?"

The woman nodded her head. The riots were happening all over Greece, and the people were getting restless. If they don't stop, it would soon become too dangerous for her child to live...

"It gets worse. Unless you hide your child's bloodlines, they will take him and surely kill the boy. You must keep him safe until his destiny is revealed, and he becomes a true hero of Greece."

The mother struggled to understand the goddess. "But, surely there's another way? Shall I lie to the boy? And why are you warning me, may I ask?"

The goddess smiled ruefully. "Ah, what's it like to be young and filled with questions and curiosity! Your boy shall be the greatest of heroes, even greater than Heracles himself. But he has the blood of the sea rushing through his veins. There is no other way. His life is in more danger because of his father. Because of that, the Olympians have come to a rather hasty and quite dangerous, if I do say so myself, decision."

The mother swallowed. "A d-decison?" Great, the boy wasn't even a day old yet he was already part of a dangerous destiny.

Artemis just stared at the boy. "For each of the ten demigods, a patron goddess will be sent to watch over the boy, keeping an eye on him and giving him advice. Until his destiny is revealed, they must not know of it. I, Salli Jackson, am your son's patron goddess."

"You will watch over my son?" Salli asked.

Artemis nodded, but she was still staring at the baby. Slowly, as if afraid, the goddess reached out a hand and traced the small outlines of the boy's cheeks. She caught her breath, as if she was doing an illegal act. Her face brightened a little, a slow smile forming on her pale oval-shaped face.

"You truly have an exquisite boy," Artemis whispered softly. "So young, so innocent, so beautiful. What is his name?"

Salli stared at her baby too, forgetting about his impending doom in the future. The baby shifted, his face scrunching up. He was waking, his breaths soft and warm on the mother's breast. When he opened his eyes, the two women were caught by his gaze. Salli suddenly knew what to name the boy.

"With a destiny such as yours," the mother murmured. "Your life would be full of hardships, and I may not protect you all your life. I will try though, try as I might. I will protect every single hair on your head and every spot on your skin. You will have luck as bad as one cursed by Nemesis herself! I pray that it won't be true. I pray that you will meet your father soon, even though it will be dangerous. I shall name you Perseus, for hopefully that hero's luck shall befall upon you. My dear, dear Perseus."

The goddess nodded her approval. "Father and Uncle shall be most obviously pleased. You will be a true hero Perseus." And with that, Artemis kissed his head.

The baby blinked its sea green colored eyes.

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Somewhere, scattered over the ancient lands, nine other goddesses visited nine other children.

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_And so the tale of heroes begin. They may not start out as much, but as time moves on, they will become as powerful as the gods themselves, and hold together a bond like no other. The beginning of a story in all its truths, no lies, no maybes. The beginning of the Heroes of Olympus._

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**Woot woot! My first story! Okay, so, I'm making a fanfiction about the demigods in Ancient Greece. Let's cross our fingers and hope this is historically correct! Because of how things were run back then, their relationship might be different, but they still have the same personality. Also, the pairings, if there are any, will NOT be all the way canon. I might mix them up based on what I want. Except Frazel, they're my OTP, and they will stay that way in my story...maybe. Anyways, there are ten heroes of Olympus. The first is, obviously, Percy, with his patron goddess, Artemis. Choosing Artemis as Percy's patron goddess may the funniest thing I have ever done, and you'll see in later chapters. Blue cookies to anyone who can guess who the other nine are, and they are both Greek and Roman. As you can tell, I suck at childbirth. I never been in one (thank God) and never seen one (thank you God once more), and I'm still a teen, soooo...**

**Please review this story, I really would appreciate it. Bye~**

**_~Aurelie_**


	2. Chapter I: Commander of Regent Three

**_Disclaimer:*sigh* I know I don't own them, I know Uncle Rick does, stop reminding me._**

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_~**Chapter One: Commander of Regent Three**~_

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_"The sky was weeping, crying out in pain as it still felt the ache of losing it's beloved. Woe be those who separate such lovers! It called out to the ground, but Gaea could not surge up and touch him, his tears pooling onto her body. Rivers and streams were filled up, as tears fill up the eye, hoping to relieve the pain of such monstrosity. The sky was sad, the earth was sad, the humans fel-"_

"Commander Jason!"

Commander of the third regent of the Roman military, Jason Grace, jumped up, nearly knocking his worn journal from his hands. He looked up and saw a beautiful woman, black hair braided down her back and dark eyes that, at the moment, were mocking him. Her white tunic stood out with her red cape, which was fastened on her right shoulder. Her belt was tied tightly around her waist, giving some view to her curves.

Jason swallowed thickly and stood up hastily, clutching his journal tightly. He was suddenly thankful for the large gardens surrounding him, fresh air filling him up greatly. The wide expanse of space allowed him easy access if he ran, which he didn't dare do so because of Reyna.

"R-Reyna!" He sputtered, cerulean eyes wide with shock and embarrassment. "W-wha-how-why?"

Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano gave him a smile, a small one that was only reserved for Jason. The Roman commander-in-chief was generalized as a naturally cold person by many, yet Jason knew she was more than that. She was his best friend.

"Nice to see you too, Commander," she said, taking a seat on the stone bench Jason just moments before occupied. Her movements were fluid and agile, like a panther. Jason remained standing.

"R-Reyna, what are you doing here?" Jason asked, studying the young girl. "You were not suppose to be back from Capua yet."

Reyna licked her lips once, looking everywhere but at Jason. She spun a gold band, the only gift she received from her mother before she disappeared, around her index, a bad habit. Jason knew that when she did that, she felt nervous.

"Reyna?"

"General Cassius ordered a meeting with you," she said flatly, her angular dark eyes fixated on a spot near Jason's head.

"What?" He asked, distracted by her long, slender fingers.

"General Cassius wants to meet with you," she said slowly, as if he was daft.

Jason sighed, running his hands through his blonde hair. He sat down next to Reyna, an inch of space left between them.

"You do know that you are a fighter," Reyna whispered softly," not a poet."

Jason frowned. "Many children of Rome can be poets."

Reyna shook her head. "But not you."

Jason tilted his head up at the blue sky, relishing in the feeling of the sun warming his face. His eyes searched the sky, for what reason, he wasn't sure. All his life, he felt the urge to just fly away and never look back. The sky was always too far away, though, and earth wasn't that much of a better option. He wanted more to life than war. He was a creative thinker, not a war general.

"What are you thinking about?" Reyna asked softly.

Jason glanced at her from the corners of his eyes, and was struck at how _beautiful_ she was. Her face was facing the sun, her eyes half-lidded, her long lashes resting on top of her pale cheek. Her red lips were pursed, and her entire expression seemed peaceful and serene.

"The sky," Jason responded, closing his eyes. "Have you ever wanted to just fly away, to leave Rome and this godsforsaken war? To just be..._free_?"

Reyna was silent for a moment before saying, "Yes, yes I have."

Jason opened his eyes and stared at Reyna. Her expression was troubled, and Jason remembered that Reyna never answered his question. What _had_ happen in Capua?

"Reyna...?" Jason asked hesitantly.

She hummed a reply.

"Has anyone been giving you trouble?" He asked quietly.

Reyna stiffened, her face hardening. "That is non-"

"Don't you dare say that is none of my buisness because you know damn well that it is. As your big brother, I have to make certain that you are safe, in war, or in this city."

Reyna said nothing. The first female commander-in-chief of the Roman military, she was often ridiculed and bullied. Many thought women in the army would only bring it's downfall, but the truth was, Rome needed Reyna. With her sharp battle skills and fierce fighting, she proved herself worthy more times than not. That never stopped men from harassing her, though.

"I'm fine, Jason," she finally said, staring at her band. "I'm fine because of you, Big Brother." She looked up and met Jason's steady gaze, before smiling one of her rare smiles. Warm, open, honest, beautiful, _and so breathtakingly_-

Jason stood up, stumbling as he tried to regain balance. His mind was fuzzy, and he felt the need to throw up. His throat was too dry and his body was too hot, sweat sliding down his neck. He shoved his journal at Reyna, who took it with surprise.

"Jas-"

"Did you say Cassius wanted to see me? Well, I better get going, don't want him to chop off my head because, frankly, I love my head. My head is important to me. What were we talking about? Oh, yeah, I got to see Cassius, well, I will see you later-" Jason halted his rambling, turning around stiffly and marching towards the large gray military building at the edge of the garden.

"Jason, wait!"

But Jason kept walking, his heart beating too fast for it to be normal. Why did Reyna always have this effect on him? _Why, why, why?_

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General Cassius Tattius of the Roman Military, was, as his name implies, a rather vain and self-centered Roman. He stood proudly at six-foot, full of muscles. His head was shaved to the scalp, and beady black eyes stuck out his face. He was at that moment pacing in front of Jason, his military medals gleaming in the exposed light from the open windows.

Jason was nervous. With Reyna's strange homecoming, and the strange whispers from the Roman soldiers as Jason walked past them, something was going on, and he was scared to find out what. If he wasn't the commander of the third regent, he would've been quaking in his sandals.

Jason cleared his throat after a minute. "You called me, sir?"

Cassius stopped pacing, staring at Jason with his intense brown eyes. "Commander Jason, yes, I did," he murmured, sinking onto the worn out couch. His study looked and felt more like a sitting room than a military office.

"Jason, as you may as well know, Commander-in-chief Ramírez-Arellano has made it back safely from Capua with the rest of the soldiers."

Jason wanted to demand what has happened that left her so shaken up, but held his tongue. He was the cool and collected commander of the third regent. He had to live up to his name. He nodded stiffly.

"You're commander-in-chief had some interesting news to share. You're probably worried about you're...sister."

Jason swallowed. General Cassius was one if the few people who knew Reyna was not his relative by blood. If other people found out, he would lose his hold on Reyna, and wouldn't be able to protect her.

"Do you know _why_ I sent her there?"

"There was civil unrest in Capua and they needed to be straightened out," Jason said automatically. Reyna told him all about her mission before leaving.

Cassius nodded, waving a hand towards the table near the corner of the room. A goblet and a jar of red wine rested on it.

"Get me some wine won't you, Commander," he ordered.

Jason gritted his teeth, but did as the general asked anyways. He poured some wine in the goblet before presenting it to Cassius. "May Lord Bacchus bless this wine," he murmured, silently cursing the god at the same time.

Cassius nodded absentmindedly, taking the wine and swallowing a big gulp. "As you know, I sent Ramírez-Arellano on a simple mission. Halt any unrest that proves fatal to Rome, and report back here. They came earlier than expected. Do you know why?"

Jason swallowed and shook his head. It was better to let the general explain then take an uneducated guess. Jason liked to think things through before saying or doing anything, but he knew most Romans didn't have the same patience.

"The civil unrest was easy solving, barely an important matter. But Ramírez-Arellano found something interesting. Have you heard of demigods?"

Jason's heart thundered, though he didn't know why. He wasn't connected to these demigods in any way.

"They are the offsprings of a god and a mortal," Jason responded, his palms slick with sweat.

"Correct," Cassius nodded, before belching. It took all of Jason's self control not to gag. "As you know, many citizens disapprove of demigods, and they started riots and stoned any demigods they found. They showed no mercy."

Jason's throat felt dry.

"In Capua, my men found some riots with these demigods. They claimed that a demigod escaped there, not before injuring some citizens. They branded the demigod as armed and dangerous. Our men tried to track the demigod down, but they were ambushed. Many were injured, and one even disappeared."

Jason had difficulty swallowing. His heart was beating faster, blood rushing through his veins. The room was fuzzy, and sweat blinded his vision. Something was happening to him, and it had something to do with the news of these demigods.

Cassius studied Jason intently, his goblet inches away from his fat lips. "Soldier Zhang never returned, and no one knew where he went. Rumors had it that the demigod was Greek, and escaped to get back to his homeland. Do you know what that means?"

"Sir?" Jason asked. He had no idea where the general going with this. He clutched his red tunic tightly at his side, his breath coming rapidly.

"You are turning 16 soon, aren't you?"

Jason nodded.

"Good, this is a time to prove yourself. I want you to head to Greece and find tha-" Cassius stiffened, his spine straightening. His brown eyes turned gold and started glowing. His hands went slack and dropped his goblet, the wine spilling all over his lush white carpets. Jason, in his panic, wondered briefly if Bacchus would enjoy having his wine spilled on the floor. Probably not.

"_Sir-?_"

"_Demigod_," Cassius rasped in a voice that was not his. It was older, ancient, and deeper.

"Sir-?" Jason backed up towards the wall, even though Cassius made no movement towards him. He sat still, eyes golden.

"_Approach, demigod_," Cassius rasped.

Jason hesitated before stepping closer. "Wh-who are you? What did you go to my general? And why did you call me a demigod?"

"_My brethren and I call ourselves eidolens, and I have occupied General Cassius Tattius of the Roman military to give you this message._"

"What do you mean '_occupied_'? What message?" He was confused, and his skin still felt feverish.

"_Too many questions, not enough time, son of Jupiter_," the eidolen said. "_I have limited amount of time here, thanks to that blasted patron goddess of yours. I have come with a message, and a warning. Take the daughter of Bellona and go find the other eight. You will be tempted, and I hope for your sake and the entire world's sake that you choose correctly. Find the prophet and tell her her time is coming. The warning is don't trust the goddess' gifts._"

Jason's head was spinning. "What do you mea-"

"_I'll will find a way to contact you, son of Jupiter. Head to Greece, to the city of Athens. There you will find what your looking for. Look for more demigods like you. You are the keys to saving Rome, and those goddesses were fools to keep it from you any longer._"

"I don't understa-"

"_I can't stay here much longer. Go to Greece. Find the other eight. Find the oracle. Convince the other leader. Avenge your mother-_" A cold wind filled the room, stoping the eidolen. Cassius slumped down, his eyes closed. His entire body relaxed, and his chest rose up and down, the only indicator that he was still alive.

Jason hesitated a second before running towards the man, pressing his thumbs to his eyes and forcing it open. It was bloodshot, but brown. Jason mind was spinning, his pulse throbbing, and he was too hot.

_Avenge your mother._

What did that eidolen know about his mother? He had never known her, all he knew was that he showed up at the Roman military doorstep in a golden basket, an infant at that time. If he found the eidolen again, would he get answers? Will he ever learn about his past?

Jason stood up and made his mind then and there. He would find that eidolen, find those eight demigods, and avenge his mother, even if he was a demigod.

_Son of Jupiter._

Everything was too much for Jason to process all at once. He wiped his palms on his tunic, trying to calm his heart. The cool wind dried his sweat.

_Go to Greece. Find the other eight. Find the oracle. Convince the other leader. Avenge your mother._

Jason turned towards the door. He did what any other Roman would do to when faced with an impossible mission.

He ran.

_Go to Greece. Find the other eight. Find the oracle. Convince the other leader. Avenge your mother._

But not before the smell of figs entered his nose. Later he would wonder why a single peacock feather was sticking onto his tunic, but right now, all he did was run.

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**So, that's my second chapter! Here, you got an idea about what will happen later in this book, but the many twists and turns will confuse you most likely. So, here you figured out Jason is one of the ten, and his patron goddess was hinted in this. Is Reyna one of the ten? You'll have to wait and see. You know, I never understood why many people hate Jason. I actually like him. Is it because he's so stiff and emotionless? Well, he was raised in the Roman camp since he was, what, _two_? Not the greatest place to spend your childhood. Honestly, Jason's leadership is important to the crew, since Percy has that tendency to be...well..._Percy_. Of course, Jason will never be Percy, but that's alright. I don't like to label Jason as a Roman Percy, because I like to think that all the characters are so unique and individual. Jason is also an amazing friend and a great fighter. So don't hate when I say I like Jason more than Thalia, because I just like how Jason isn't the typical son of Zeus. *cough*_Hercules_*cough*_Persues_*cough*_Ares_*cough*. Man, I must be coming with a cold or something. Anyways, you have two of the ten, Percy and Jason. Guess the other eight!? Also, whoever guesses Jason's patron goddess gets a cookie! **

**~_Aurelie_**


	3. Chapter II: Green Eyed Nightmare

_**Disclaimer: I am not Uncle Rick, and never will be, and the PJO and HoO franchise does not belong to me. Pity.**  
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_**~Chapter Two: Green Eyed Nightmare~**_

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It was warm outside, not the comfortable calming warmth of the spring in Corinth, but the hot sweltering heat of summer, cooled down only by the cold wind from the sea. The smell of salt and fish hung in the marketplace air, and birds squawked in the air. The sounds of men and women hollering at each other and the bustling about almost proved too much for the boy. He kept his head down, darting through the throngs of people. He clutched the basket of fish closer to his chest, his dark eyes lowered.

He almost made it, the edge of the town market taunting him from afar. Once he was past that, he would catch his breath before scurrying home, safe for the day. He would have food tonight, for the first time in a week, and he will cook, and he would go to bed full. Then he would wake up in the morning, and start a new day, without worrying anyone of his bruises. He almost could feel it, the relief in his bones from making it home without so much a scratch. Almost.

"Hey, you!"

The boy, whose name was Nicolas, but preferred to be called Nico, froze, which was a big mistake. His tormentors, three bulky ugly boys with mud splattered hair and crooked noses, were just a few feet away from him, not paying the many Greeks around them any mind. Nico knew that screaming wouldn't do anything; he had too much experiance to learn this firsthand.

Nico, instead, darted to the left, hoping to outrun the boys. He may have been smaller than most boys his age, but he was as fast as any grown man. His speed had gotten him out of a lot of scrapes. He raced through the crowds, ignoring their grumbles of annoyance. He had to bring the fish back home, he wouldn't let her down.

But Nico then tripped on a piece of rock, falling down and scraping his knees. He bit down a cry of pain, staring at his bloodied knees. He would worry about that later, right now he had other problems.

Nico felt the back of his gray tunic lift up, and soon he was floating at least four inches off the ground. He flailed his limbs helplessly, trying to beat any piece of flesh he could find. "Let me go," he screeched, willing himself not to cry. "Let me go!"

He felt whoever was holding him grunt, struggling to keep him still. Nico felt a surge of panic, which soon turned to adrenaline. He twisted his body as far as he could, which was quite far, and bit down on the boy's disgusting hand.

"Argh!" He cried, letting go of Nico quickly.

Nico spat out the blood, breathing heavily. He tried to get up, but another boy got in front of him and grabbed his black hair, releasing a screech of pain from him. The boy thrusted his ugly face into Nico's, glaring at him. His eyes were narrowed, a brownish green color, like the old cow manure he used to pick up when he worked on a farm. That did nothing to calm the roiling torrents of dread in Nico's stomach.

"Thought you could run from us, eh?" The boy's breath stunk like fish and cabbage, a horrible combination.

Nico said nothing, choosing to spit in his face instead. The boy roared, raising one hand to backhand him before another boy stopped him.

"Not here, Lysandros," he growled, glancing at the townspeople, who stopped to glare at the boys. Nico could sense their curiosity from there, and willed them to help him. He didn't dare speak, or else he might get punched in the mouth. _Help me_, he thought. _Someone!_

Lysandros bared his teeth, annoyed. His grip tightened around Nico as he dragged him to a nearby alley, away from prying eyes. Nico didn't dare struggle; his adrenaline was already fading, leaving him tired and achy all over. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see the boy he bit holding his basket of fish, which he had forgotten about.

Nico was thrown to the ground once they were far enough, banging his head on the stone wall behind him. Nico yelped out in pain, cradling his head. He could feel a bump throbbing, relieved that it wasn't bleeding this time.

"Get it over with," the boy Nico had bitten growled. Nico didn't want to look up and see their satisfied smirks at seeing him like this. He would not cry, not one drop of tear.

"Patience, Tychin," the third boy said.

"I'm hungry, and these fish looks fine," Tychin replied. Nico could hear the smile on his face.

"N-No," he croaked, repressing a groan. The pain was throbbing harder now, and light danced around his closed eyelids.

"What was that, squirt?" Lysandros said, his voice closer than before.

"D-don't take th-that," he mumbled, still defiant even when he was clearly beaten.

"Did you hear that, Argyros?" Tychin said. "He told us not to eat the fish."

Nico heard an horrible noise, the sound of the boys guffawing. He felt his heart race, his thoughts racing even faster. He promised her that he wouldn't get into a fight, that he would come home un-bloodied and smiling. He grimaced at the thought of disappointing her.

"We'll teach that boy to tell _us_ what to do," Argyros snarled.

Nico yelped when he felt his body rise up, his hair clutched in the meaty palms of Tychin, his watery blue eyes inches from Nico's own dark ones. Nico gulped and shrank away, fear rushing through his veins.

The boy guffawed, his eyes glittering with evil triumph. He grinned, and Nico recoiled from the sight of his crooked yellow stained teeth.

"Want to play a game, squirt?" He asked, pulling Nico's hair harder.

"Unk," was all he managed to get out, his head throbbing and his entire body aching. He just wanted it all to be over.

"Answer me, squirt!" Tychin snarled, shaking Nico roughly. All the small boy managed to do was squeak in terror. That was when he noticed something from behind the trio of boys. He blinked, not wanting to believe his eyes.

"He won't answer, damn it!" Tychin screamed, eyes burning with rage.

"Don't waste your time with him," Argyros said, stepping closer to Nico. "He's just too daft, isn't that right boy?"

Nico didn't say anything. He stared past the boys, at the shadow that he noticed earlier. Except it wasn't just a shadow, but a boy. A boy no older than sixteen, with wind blown black hair. Nico couldn't see his eyes, but could tell that it glittered in the dark alley. Nico panicked for a second. What if this boy was going to hurt him too? But he didn't seem like that. His entire posture told him of a disciplined youth, not like these street thugs. Nico didn't know if he would help him, so he just stared at him, not moving.

"What are you-" Lysandros turned around, and stopped at the sight of the boy. His face transformed into a face of rage, his eyes narrowing. The other boys turned around too, Tychin still holding Nico, and their faces matched Lysandros'.

"Who are you?" Argyros spat, his voice low and dark.

The boy said nothing. He just stared at him, his face hidden in the shadows. He then tilted his head to the side, as if puzzled.

"Don't just stand there," Lysandros growled. "What are you doin' here?"

The boy was silent.

"Arg-" Tychin was cut off.

"May I ask, before I give my name, what it is you're doing?" The boy's voice was smooth, like water flowing into a creek. It held a polite tone to it, as if they were all gentlemen talking to each other about the weather.

The boys were all shocked at his pleasent voice, staring at him in shock. Finally, Argyros replied coolly, "Nothing that is of your importance."

The boy tilted his head to the other side, this time as if to make an inquiry. "What I think you are doing is harming an innocent little boy, who wanted nothing more than to bring his basket of fish home." Nico flushed at being called a little boy. "Am I correct?"

"It doesn't matter if your correct," Tychin spat, the first to recover from the boy's words. "You got no buisness here, so you should probably leave and not tell a soul about this."

"And if I decline?" The boy asked politely. Nico was amazed at how he sounded cool and collected, not at all scared. He seemed to have an air of importance to him, as if he was greater than all of them. Nico felt himself drawn to the boy like a moth to a flame.

"Then-"

Before Lysandros could finish replying, the boy whipped out something from his back and threw it at him. Nico realized at last second that it was a stone, no larger than his fist, smooth and gray like his tunic. It struck his forehead with a sickening crack, and Lysandros fell to the ground.

The other boys stared in shock at their friend, alarmed. Before anyone could move, Nico bit down on Tychin's hand, the same one he bit earlier, but harder. Tychin screamed in pain, shoving Nico away from him. Nico nimbly fell out of his grasp, stumbling to the ground. He saw the abandoned basket of fish near his feet, and hesitated a second before grabbing it and running past Tychin. He raced towards the boy who save his life.

Argyros and Tychin roared in rage, taking after him, Tychin a little slower. Nico didn't turn around, running towards the strange boy who was yelling at him to run faster. And run faster Nico did.

Once he managed to scramble to the boy, he turned around and hid behind his feet. He peered around, his heart banging in his chest.

Nico was embarrassed to have to hide behind his savior, but there was nothing else he could do. He was already tired from fighting, and everything blended together. His headache never faded either.

The two boys halted to a stop when they were a few feet away from them. They glared at the boy in hatred, nostrils flaring.

"What do you want?" Argyros snarled.

"Why are you hurting him?" He asked right back.

"That is none of your buisness," Argyros growled.

"We are stronger that you," Tychin added, flashing them a smirk. "A rock won't hurt us."

"Just because you're bigger and stronger," the boy said, "Doesn't mean you can pick on the weak and pathetic."

"Hey!" Nico yelped, shoving at the boy.

He looked down, flashing Nico an unapologetic smile. Nico was struck at how handsome the boy was, with his wind blown black hair and sea green eyes. He had a pleasant face, with that mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Nico was also struck by a sense of familiarity.

"Sorry, what's your name by the way?" He asked.

"N-Nico," he stuttered.

"Nice name." He looked back to the other boys, who were creeping closer. "Now, what are we going to do with you two?"

Something heavy was pressing down on Nico's stomach, leaving his nerves frazzled. His bones shook, and his hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat. Something was wrong, Nico felt it deep in his soul.

The boys barked a laugh. "You can do nothing to us," Tychin said, smiling broadly.

Nico's fists clenched. Why was that boy protecting him? He will just get hurt, and he did nothing bad. He should just leave him. Nico wasn't anything special. A burst of heat blossomed in his stomach, making Nico gasp out in pain. Red colored his vision, and he lost all sense of direction.

"Nico?" The boy turned around, kneeling down to check on him.

Nico whimpered, shaking everywhere. At the soles of his sandals, he could see something black, like tar, oozing towards the boys. No-not tar. Shadows.

Nico panicked. The same thought-_Not again! Not again!_\- kept spinning through his head. His breathing became labored, and his vision blurred. The last time this happened...

His tormentors froze, staring in mixed awe and horror at the shadows, watching as they ignored the green-eyed boy and oozed towards them. They were still far enough from people for them not to notice anything. Nico wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"Nico?"

Why was the boy still here? He should've ran away. He should be horrified and disgusted. He would know what Nico was, and he would chase him off, or stone him, or do something worse. Nico was depressed when he realized that he wouldn't see Hazel anymore.

The two boys, Argyros and Tychin, screeched once the shadows got to them. "Demigod, _demigod_," they shrieked.

Everything was now too dark for Nico to see much of anything, and he was glad. He didn't want to see the look on the boy's face. Nico started feeling hot, and for a second he wondered if he was on fire. But no-that was absurd. He felt a sharp snap in his head and he fell unconscious, hot and clammy like the air in Corinth.

* * *

"_Nico? Nico, where are you?"_

_"I'm here Bianca!" Nico laughed, waving his arms in front of him. He was blindfolded, but not tied up. He could still run. He wanted to play with his big sister._

_He felt something grab him from behind. "Nico, don't run from me blind!"_

_Nico let out a squeal of laughter. "Ah, okay Bianca!"_

_He felt a hand in his, and started walking again. "Where are we going, Bianca?"_

_"Somplace magical," came her cryptic response._

_Nico pouted, hating when his sister knew something he didn't. He sighed loudly, letting his sister know just that._

_"We're almost there," she declared, swinging their arms. Nico smiled, pumping it harder._

_After a few minutes of silent walking, Bianca stopped. "What is it?" Nico asked, anxious._

_"We're here," Bianca sing-songed._

_"Take it off, take it off!" Nico exclaimed, jumping up and down._

_"Okay, okay!" She laughed, removing Nico's blindfold. Nico blinked quickly, adjusting to the bright afternoon light, when he gasped in amazement. He was on a wide expanse of white sand, gleaming underneath the sun. In the distance, he could see an even wider expanse of blue. Seagulls croaked to each other in the sky, and waves broke on the sand, making a wide symphony of sounds. The smell of salt drifted into his nose, and Nico grinned._

_"The ocean!" He cried, and took off running._

_"Nico, don't go far!" His sister called out._

_Nico looked back to see his sister's pale face, framed by her long dark brown hair. Her hair whipped in the salty air, and she clutched tight to her green dress._

_"I won't!" Nico hollered, sprinting towards the ocean. It beckoned him, urging him to come close. But the closer he came, the larger and darker the waters became. The waves grew huge, dwarfing Nico's small figure. Thunder broke, and the once blue sky became clouded in gray._

_"Nico!"_

_"Bianca?" Nico called back, unable to see in the sudden fog. Where did the fog come from?_

_"Nico!"_

_"Bianca!"_

_"Nico! Stay where you are! I'm coming to you!"_

_"B-Bianca," Nico choked, scared beyond reasoning._

_"Nico!"_

_The waves broke out again, gaining height. In the waves, though, Nico saw a familiar face. It was tanned, with green eyes and black hair. It grinned maliciously at him, white teeth fanged._

_"Silly demigod," he said. "She's never coming back to you. She's long gone."_

_"No!" Nico cried out, blinking back tears. "She'll come back to me, she always does."_

_"Not this time. I will take away everything from you, demigod, even your new sister. Hazel has her curse to worry about too."_

_"Just leave me alone!"_

_"I can't do that demigod," the face said. "You're part of the prophecy, and that means your fate is sealed. If I can keep you from heading to Athens... I can't harm you, but I can harm those you care about. And I will, son of Hades, trust me, I will."_

_"Nico!"_

_Nico could barely hear his sister's faint cries, growing fainter and fainter by the second. Nico was consumed by terror, frozen to the sand. Tears started falling down his cheeks, cold and salty, just like the sea._

_The face laughed, a cruel noise that was worse than any sound Nico had ever heard before. It's handsome face turned ugly by cruel glee. The waves, which was standing 20 feet tall by then, crashed down, pulling Nico into the sea._

_"Nico!"_

_"Bianca!"_

_She would save him, she had to. Right?_

_"Nico! Nico! **Nico**!"_

* * *

Nico woke up, tears falling down his face. He sniffed, trying to erase the memory of that nightmare. Or the nightmare of that memory. His sister was never going to comeback to him. She never will. She was already dead.

"Hey, are you awake?"

Nico started, panicking at the sight of the strangers. He realized that he was tangled in soft bedsheets, on a bed more lavish than anything he had ever laid on. He was still in his tunic.

"Of course he's awake, Rach," another voice said. "His eyes are open."

"I _know_ that," the voice snapped.

Once his vision cleared, Nico blinked at the strangers. A girl stood over him, her freckled face full of worry. She had curly untamed red hair and bright green eyes. Her red dress was wrinkled and had colors splattered on them, like a painting. She looked at least fifteen, or at least sixteen.

"Let him rest, Rachel," the second voice chided.

Nico slid his gaze towards the voice. It was the same guy who saved him in the alley. He saved him, but also saw his powers. His green eyes were wide with worry, and his hair was tangled, as if he ran his hands through them a lot. He wore a simple white tunic over one shoulder with an orange cloth hung over the other.

He smiled, and Nico now realized why he looked so familiar. He was the same boy who haunted his nightmares, the same boy who left him with sleepless nights, who terrorized his mind. No-not the same boy, but the same _face_.

"Hello," he said, green eyes twinkling. "My name is Percy Jackson."

* * *

**Yay, the chapters done! Anyways, thanks to those who reviewed, and favorited. I appreciate those who do! And clap your hands at Anonymus sender Z, who guessed Jason's correct patron goddess. Here's a cookie(::)!It's an easy guess why. And I now realized my mistake. If you read closely, you'd realize that I did say that Reyna will be one of the ten. Guess her patron goddess( It's actual really obvious, if you look closely). And to c. sarbani : Of course there will be Percy/Jason bromance, it's not a story unless it has one. I broship them, along with Nico/Will (I don't like the couple romanticly because, reasons(that you will find out soon(okay, fine, I have a crush on Will, okay?(I know, it's wierd, stop judging me)))), Annabeth/Piper, Piper/Percy, and Jason/Nico. They are my broships for HoO. But Will/Jem shall be my BroTP(if you've read Clockwork Angel, you'll understand). Nico's patron goddess is also hinted here. Review, and I'll update faster. Oh, and if you want to know what the characters are wearing, type their name and Ancient Greece or something like that, and it will show. Unfortunately, you might figure out the other ten. Oh well. I'm a horrible person. Bianca still dies, and I will somehow make Percy unintentionally kill her, too. I am horrible, almost as horrible as Uncle Rick. Oh well.**

**Bye~ _Aurelie_**


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